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smaller frame pistols and rifles


Col Del Rio

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Success! For the first time my wife came to a match!  She loved it. She shot 22s but wants to move up. She is quite petite so what are the better brands for smaller sized rifles and pistols( preferably 38 Spcl).

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Rifle -- My wife (the lovely Dakota Skipper) shoots an 1866 Carbine in 38, cut to fit her.  It is heavier than a '92, but the action is butter-smooth, and the action is short stroked.  She much prefers it to anything else.

Shotgun -- She shoots a Stoeger double, again, cut to fit her.  I make up special 7/8 ounce loads that are very light (lighter than Winchester Featherlites).

Pistols -- She shoots a pair of USFA LongHunter Rodeos in 38.  She started out with the smaller model Uberti Stallions, but they sent the recoil up into her elbows, because they are so light.  She has not tried the New Vaqueros.  She loves her Rodeos.

 

The main thing about the long guns is that they fit her properly!! 

And, with the shotgun, she will be shooting ground targets, not flyers,  so the angle of the butt is important.

She is 62, and about 5'2" and she handles her guns quite well. 

 

--Dawg

 

 

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4 hours ago, Col Del Rio said:

Success! For the first time my wife came to a match!  She loved it. She shot 22s but wants to move up. She is quite petite so what are the better brands for smaller sized rifles and pistols( preferably 38 Spcl).

Uberti's Model P Jr. clone is smaller and 38 only. I am currently shooting 38 Long Colt, but the longer 38 Special can easily be loaded light enough for the sport. In the bird heads, Taylor's Stallion version is a fatter grip than the Cimarron Lightning. I would suggest Cimarrons but don't for any reason disassemble beyond dropping a cylinder, or the warranty will be gone. Give it some time to prove itself. Mine are unmodified and shoot really nicely. There is a navy grip style Stallion from Taylor's as well but more grip for hands larger than hers would likely be.

 

The rifle I think could only be addressed by barrel length. It could be shorter than 20" when able to hold and perform well with 10 rounds of 38 seated to approach 357 Magnum length. There is an option on barrels though, so a half octagon would likely be lighter at the muzzle. Taylor's has a Ladies & Youth model 1873 that is round barrel, 16 1/8" barrel and rated as holding 10 if 38 Special, but I would verify whether 38 Special seated long would actually fit as many as 10 and be easy enough to load the last few.

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It took a while to figure out what worked for my wife. Still trying to get the shotgun right. She struggles with the weight of long guns. She settled in a Marlin 1894c. For now the 1887 lever action shotgun will do because it's light and the LOP fits her perfectly without any modifications. The pistols were actually the hardest for her to settle on. She kept getting distracted by how it looked vs what felt best. After a blind testing of every revolver in my safe she settled on the converted 51 navy. 

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My wife has a 16" Trapper model 73' in 357, it will hold 10 38's. The rifle is lighter and easier for her to handle compared with an 18" or 20" model.

 

When she started shooting we had Uberti Stallions in .38 special, or model P Juniors, these are scaled down peacemaker's that are roughly 3/4's size (I believe). Similar in size to Ruger single sixes. She now shoots Vaqueros.

 

 

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Dawg is 200% correct on the shotgun butt stock for a lady, or youth, shooter. Regardless of the lop, make sure you cut the stock at a negative angle. This will remove the sharp point of the bottom of the stock resting on the ladies uh, um, uh you know, their chest and absorbing all of the impact from the recoil.

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Col -your best decision is to have your wife handle a few rifles & handguns  at the next match or so

Lightest rifle = Model 92 94 Rossi 38 Spl, 20" carbine

Revolvers = handle some at matches.  Size of grips is a major consideration

Shotgun = 20ga SKB

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10 minutes ago, John Boy said:

Lightest rifle = Model 94 Rossi 38 Spl, 20" carbine

 

Ummm, Model 92 I believe you wanted to write.

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When it comes to pistols, don't assume that just cause she's a gurl she wants a smaller grip.  That may be the case, but apparently it usually isn't.  American Rifleman has done a couple of articles called the Ladies Pistol Project, and the smaller guns do very poorly.  One of the things they pointed out what that a lot of the inexperienced ladies in the project were inexperienced because the men in their lives kept pushing them to shoot small guns that were uncomfortable.  After participating in the project and finding handguns that they did like, many became more avid shooters. 

 

Like others have said, let her handle and shoot a wide variety.  When we got into the sport I had a Ruger NMV Bisley, an original colt, and a ruger OMV bisley.  I let my wife try them all expecting she'd prefer the smaller colt grip, but she liked the NMV bisley best.  The colt was too small, the OMV was just too heavy.  The NMV was just right.  We even put gunfighter grips on it which are a little thicker.  Remember that lighter guns have more felt recoil.  Larger grips help manage it.  If your wife does want small grips, there's also birdshead grips to try.  They have the benefit of being small but are mounted to a full sized frame to help manage recoil. 

 

 

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8 hours ago, Widder, SASS #59054 said:

1894 Marlin carbine (not the Cowboy)

Ruger Single Six in .32 H&R

 

Some of the above mentions guns should also fit what you are looking for.

 

..........Widder

 

Is the 32 H&R Ruger a dated recommendation? They are not in production anymore and don't seem to turn up often, especially in pairs. In any case, the Single Six does not have a small grip, but the gun's weight does help with recoil sensitivity. It might be easier to get a Taylor's Stallion and shoot 38 Long Colt.

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